INEC Extends Voters’ Registration To Weekends, Public Holidays

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, announced that registration of voters’ ahead of the 2019 election will now be extended to weekends and public holidays.

The commission said the exercise would also be extended from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, instead of the current daily duration of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The statement was made by INEC’s National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, in Abuja.

He said the extension would commence on August 1 and end on August 17 when the exercise would be suspended until after the 2019 general elections.

Haruna said that decision to extend the registration period was reached at commission’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from all the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which reviewed the nationwide exercise.

“Against the backdrop of the decision to suspend the exercise from Aug.17 until after the 2019 general elections, it was resolved that starting from Aug. 1, the CVR exercise will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. instead of 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. as obtains presently.

“It was also resolved that there will also be registration on Saturdays and Sundays as well as public holidays (if any) within the period,” he said.